Houton

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This article is about the village in Scotland. For the place in Belgium, see Houton, Belgium.
Not to be confused with Houston, the city in Texas, US.

Houton
Houtonorkney.jpg
The Bay of Houton, showing ferry terminal and lobster pots
Houton is located in Orkney Islands
Houton
Houton
Location within Orkney
OS grid referenceHY317041
Civil parish
Council area
  • Orkney Islands
Lieutenancy area
  • Orkney Islands
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townORKNEY
Postcode districtKW17
Dialling code01856
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
58°55′05″N 3°11′10″W / 58.918°N 3.186°W / 58.918; -3.186Coordinates: 58°55′05″N 3°11′10″W / 58.918°N 3.186°W / 58.918; -3.186

Houton is a settlement 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Stromness on the island of Mainland, Orkney, Scotland. The settlement is within the parish of Orphir,[1] and is situated on a minor road off the A964.[2]

From here, a ferry sails to Lyness on Hoy, Longhope on South Walls, and the island of Flotta, as well as a smaller ferry for workers of the Flotta oil terminal. Nearby are the remains of the Orphir Round Church, dedicated to St Nicholas (the only medieval round church in Scotland) and the Earl's Bu, the ruins of a former manor house of the Earldom of Orkney. These sites are in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

The Holm of Houton is nearby.

RAF Houton[]

RAF Houton was situated nearby and was home to the following units:

  • No. 306 (Flying Boat) Flight.[3]
  • No. 430 (Seaplane) Flight.[4]
  • 'F' Boat Seaplane Training Flight was formed on 15 August 1918 and operated the Felixstowe F.3 and the Curtiss H.16 before being disbanded on 25 November 1918.[5]
  • Orkney Wing.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ "Details of Houton". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  2. ^ "A964". Sabre. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. ^ Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 72. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  4. ^ Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 76. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  5. ^ Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 66. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  6. ^ "Houton Bay (also Kite Balloon Base)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 29 October 2013.

External links[]


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